1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector having terminal inserts individually assembled for accurately positioning terminals in an insulating housing thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in FIG. 6, a conventional electrical connector comprises an insulating housing 8 including a base 80 and a shroud 82 forwardly projecting from a front face of the base 80, a spacer 200 located at a rear, lower portion of the housing 8, and an integral terminal module 90 received in the housing 8. The housing 8 defines a plurality of terminal receiving channels (not shown) in the shroud 82, and an opening 84 extending through the base 80 in communication with the terminal receiving channels. The integral terminal module 90 includes a first and a second terminal inserts 91, 92 interconnected together. The first terminal insert 91 has a first insulating portion 910 with first protrusions 9100 formed on a top face thereof, and a plurality of terminals 100 secured to the first insulating portion 910. The second terminal insert 92 has a second insulating portion 920 with second protrusions (not shown) formed on a bottom face thereof, and a plurality of terminals 100 secured to the second insulating portion 920. The first and the second terminal inserts 91, 92 are fixed together via locking members (not shown) formed on a bottom face of the first insulating portion 910 and a top face of the second insulating portion 920. The terminals 100 are assembled to the housing 8 by inserting the integral terminal module 90 into the opening 84 to reach a position in which the first protrusions 9100 and the second protrusions fit into corresponding holes 800 defined in the base 80, mating portions 100a of the terminals 100 are received in the receiving channels, and tail portions 100b of the terminals 100 extend through the spacer 200.
However, the inevitable assembling tolerance between the first and the second terminal inserts 91, 92 may result in a misalignment between the mating portions 100a of the terminals 100 and the terminal receiving channels, thus making the terminals 100 incorrectly and unreliably positioned in the housing 8. As a result, the electrical connection between the electrical connector and a complementary connector may be adversely affected.
Hence, an electrical connector having terminal inserts individually assembled is required to overcome the disadvantages of the related art.
Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having terminal inserts individually assembled for accurately positioning terminals in terminal receiving channels of an insulating housing thereof.
In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulating housing defining a plurality of terminal receiving channels and a first and a second openings in communication with the terminal receiving channels, and a pair of terminal inserts respectively inserted into the first and the second openings. Each terminal insert includes an insulating portion and a plurality of terminals retained in the insulating portion. The insulating portion is formed with a plurality of protrusions on a top and a bottom faces thereof. Each terminal includes a mating portion received in a corresponding terminal receiving channel of the housing. The housing defines a plurality of holes and the partition defines a plurality of recesses on a top and a bottom faces thereof for locking the protrusions of the terminal inserts therein. The partition is formed with a plurality of ribs on a top and a bottom faces thereof projecting into the first and the second openings for abutting against the first and the second terminal inserts. Thus, the mating portions of the terminals are accurately positioned in the terminal receiving channels of the housing.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.